Into The Dark Episode 156 – College Conspiracies
Host: Payton Moreland
Date: February 4, 2026

Episode Overview

In this special episode, Payton Moreland explores the shadowy side of college life by diving into five intriguing conspiracy theories, cover-ups, and supernatural tales tied to universities. Instead of her standard true crime case deep-dive, Payton strings together a narrative of "tinfoil tales," ranging from secret societies and government espionage to haunted campuses and mysterious UFO sightings, all centered on the hidden world lurking within and around American colleges.

Key Discussion Points & Tinfoil Tales

1. Skull and Bones – The Yale Secret Society (02:34–07:34)

• Origin and Purpose: Founded in 1832 at Yale to give the most powerful, privileged men a private space for networking, prejudice, and connection.
• Quote:
  “The purpose of Skull and Bones was for people who already had a lot of privilege to connect with one another... and gain even more power and prestige.” – Payton Moreland (04:29)
• Membership & Legacy: Notably exclusionary—banning people of color and women for decades.
• Ongoing Influence: 3 U.S. presidents (William Taft, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush) were Bonesmen. Membership includes high government officials and leading bankers.
• Conspiracies: Allegedly a force behind world finance and politics, accused of orchestrating wars, and possibly involved in JFK’s assassination.
• Controversy: “Some people think Skull and Bones actually rules the world. However, others say this is all baseless, with no evidence to back any of it up.” (06:53)

2. CIA Espionage and Ivy League Recruitment (07:36–14:47)

• Historic Recruitment: CIA formed in 1947, began recruiting heavily from Ivy League schools for both analysts and operatives.
• Quote:
  “Nowadays, it's pretty common knowledge that if you want to be a spy when you grow up, you can just go to Princeton, Yale, or Harvard. But some people think it actually goes further than that.” – Payton Moreland (09:31)
• Operations on Campus: Allegations of active undercover agents monitoring campuses, keeping tabs on both domestic and foreign students and staff.
• First-Hand Account: Anonymous professor ("Peter") recruited by FBI to befriend a suspected Russian spy over two years.
• Systemic Surveillance: Roughly 1-in-3 alumni report pre-graduation FBI contact; rumors that agencies influence academic appointments to punish activists or install undercover agents.
• Implication: “Enrolling at these colleges might open the door for you to get a job with a government agency or plunge you into a strange world of espionage, lies and double crosses, all before you even get your degree.” (14:28)

3. The Ridges – Ohio University’s Haunted Asylum (19:07–26:57)

• Early Noble Intentions: The Ridges (1850s)—a mental health facility designed for humane care, later marred by outdated and brutal treatments like electroshock therapy and lobotomies.
• Devolution & Tragedy: Facility’s standards collapsed in the mid-1900s—overcrowding, neglect, many unmarked patient burials on the property.
• Ghostly Legends:
  • Most famous: Margaret Schilling’s remains and the lasting stain in the attic; her spirit reportedly haunts the site.
  • Multiple other unexplained entities seen dressed as former staff and patients.
• Supernatural Rumors: Whispered tales of local seances in the 1850s possibly opening “some kind of gateway or portal to the afterlife.”
• Haunted Title: “Ohio University has been called the most haunted campus in the entire world.” (25:47)

4. The Iowa Writers' Workshop and CIA Propaganda (26:57–31:27)

• Prestige and Influence: Premier American creative writing program; graduates and teaching philosophies spread nationwide, deeply shaping modern literary style.
• Quote:
  “It's not an exaggeration to say the Iowa Writers Workshop is incredibly influential, and it has permanently shaped the way authors learn their craft and think about their novels.” (28:57)
• CIA Connection: During the Cold War, the CIA secretly funded and encouraged subtle curriculum changes to prevent publication of overtly pro-communist (or anti-capitalist) novels.
• Outcome: The Workshop taught that good literature should be ambiguous, with minimal clear message or moral.
  – Influential NYT summary: “Good literature, students learned, contains sensations, not doctrines, experiences, not dogmas, memories, not philosophies.” (30:39)
• Impact: The CIA indirectly shaped which styles and themes dominate American fiction, filtering down to libraries and bookstores everywhere.
• Provocative Question:
  “What great works of literature are we missing out on because of government influence? And more importantly, how can you ever trust anything that you read?” (31:15)

5. The Hillsdale College UFO Incident (33:46–37:30)

• The Event: March 21, 1966, 10:30pm—over 87 students at Hillsdale College witness three hovering, glowing, football-shaped lights above campus, joined by police officers.
• Technical Interference: Attempts to contact authorities jammed by static.
• Duration: Objects visible through the night until dawn.
• Investigation: Project Blue Book (government UFO program) concludes the lights were "swamp gas" released by a nearby marsh; locals and witnesses largely skeptical.
• Prior Sightings: Farmer and son witness saucer and lights landing on their property the prior night; police photo captured unexplained streaks in the sky.
• Attempted Documentary: In 2022, filmmakers tried to contact 12 living eyewitnesses—all refused to discuss the event, even in private.
• Quote:
  “She abruptly said, I'm sorry, but I never want to talk about that again.” (36:55)
• Lingering Mystery: “You have to wonder what really happened. What were they afraid of? Maybe they worried people would judge them ... Or perhaps someone very powerful had found a way to silence them.” (37:10)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On College Impact:
  “Some believe that the choices you make at college can actually change the entire world ... Some believe college campuses are the sites of major government cover-ups, advanced spy operations, and powerful secret societies.” – Payton Moreland (02:03)
• On Espionage Culture:
  “Schools like Harvard, Yale and Princeton might all be swarming with FBI and CIA agents, not to mention all of those alleged foreign operatives.” (14:00)
• On Literary Influence:
  “The government was afraid of how [fiction] might impact the future. It's enough to make you wonder, what great works of literature are we missing out on because of government influence?” (31:15)
• On Supernatural Hotspots:
  “Ohio University has been called the most haunted campus in the entire world.” (25:47)
• Eyewitness Reluctance:
  “I'm sorry, but I never want to talk about that again.” (36:55)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Skull and Bones: 02:30–07:34
• Ivy League/CIA Recruiting: 07:36–14:47
• The Ridges/Haunted Ohio University: 19:07–26:57
• Iowa Writers’ Workshop/CIA Influence: 26:57–31:27
• Hillsdale College UFO Sighting: 33:46–37:30

Episode Tone and Style

Payton's narration is congenial, inviting, and slightly skeptical, blending factual delivery with speculative musings. She preserves her trademark curiosity and approachable style throughout:
“There are lots of ways to find the truth, so long as you have an open mind. So again, go to college, have fun. But maybe be careful because maybe it's not what it seems.” (37:30)

Closing Thoughts

Payton wraps with an invitation to listeners to share their own campus rumors, highlighting that these five are only a small sample of college-related conspiracy lore.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking the stories, key ideas, and memorable moments—without the ads, intros, or outros.